Life
by Devon Goes to Heaven
Summary: Julieta hardly knew McGillis Fareed, but his presence can be felt through Gaelio and Almiria. Gaelio/Julieta, Post Series


_**AN:** I finished IBO yesterday. I was a little sad that we never saw what happened to Almiria. So, I typed this up. _

Life

It's so quiet now.

 _Life…_

Julieta had grown so accustomed to life on the battlefield, she had forgotten how simple life really was. There's no longer the rush of energy, the surge of adrenaline, and the uncertainty of life itself. She hadn't expected to like it this much. Julieta enjoys this simple life - even when her husband annoys her.

And, he so often does.

 _Life…_

It's not without new set of challenges. Julieta's raps the back of her hand against a door. Almiria doesn't answer. Julieta knocks again. _Still_ , no answer. She opens the door and steps inside the girl's room. Almiria is curled up in a ball on her bed. She's not ready for school.

"I'm not going," Almira insists.

Julieta can't make her - not when she's like this. "I'll have your brother call in for you."

Julieta wishes that she could be nurturing and comforting. She does not have the soft touch that other women seem to have. She makes a mental side note to phone Almiria's new psychiatrist. They've been through four now, and it doesn't seem to be helping much.

Julieta wonders what Almiria was like before McGillis destroyed her. She was probably a sweet girl that liked to wear pretty dresses. She's seen pictures of her from before with bright sparkling eyes. Julieta frowns. McGillis stole that smile she's only seen in old photographs. She despises him for what he did to Gaelio, but most of all for stealing this poor girl's life from her.

Julieta shuts Almiria's door and heaves a heavy sigh. She walks down the vast hallway till she reaches the master bedroom. Julieta opens the door to see Gaelio sitting up in their bed with a tablet in his hand. His blue eyes look to her.

"Almiria's going to be missing school today," Julieta walks to the bed and sits down next to Gaelio.

Gaelio sets his tablet down and releases a deep breath. "I wish I knew what to do. I'm trying, but she just keeps getting worse. I feel like I'm failing my own sister…"

"You're doing the best you can."

Gaelio reaches for her and pulls her into his arms. Julieta rests her head against his chest. Sometimes he needs her to just be there. She's fine with it. She pretends to be hard on the edges, but deep down, she likes to be held by him. What woman wouldn't want to be held by the man she loves?

"I wish I could go back in time and stop him from hurting her," his voice is barely above a whisper. "I thought I could find it in me to forgive him, but not after what he did to my sister."

"He doesn't deserve your forgiveness."

Gaelio draws her closer to him. She wishes she could soothe him with well selected words. She wishes she could be more delicate for him in moments like these. Julieta has learned the best she can do is just be there for him when he really needs her.

"I wish I had made him suffer," Gaelio says. "I was too soft…"

Julieta shifts so that she is facing him. She places one hand on his cheek as she looks into his eyes. He's trying to hide all of his grief behind his anger. It's not as simple as hiding behind a metallic mask like he once did. His eyes are too honest from the downcast look to a tear that forms at the corner of his eye.

Julieta brushes his tear away with her thumb. He's looking up to her as if she's his last life line. He leans forward and places a kiss on her forehead. "I should try to talk to her."

Julieta climbs off of his lap. She places one of his arms over his shoulder and helps him into his wheelchair. Julieta pushes him out of their bedroom and down the hall until they reach Almiria's room. Gaelio reaches out to the nob and turns it. He pushes the door open gently.

Almiria is still curled into a small ball on her bed. Gaelio wheels his chair over to the side of Almiria's bed. Almiria raises her eyes to Gaelio and manages to sit up.

He still hasn't told her. Julieta knows. Rustal knows. But, Almiria is still oblivious that her brother is the reason she is a widow. In what world is a fourteen year old girl a widow? Their world apparently. Julieta frowns. It's probably for the best that Gaelio never speaks of how McGillis met his end. If the girl isn't already broken, knowing her brother killed her husband would destroy her.

"Gaelio…"

Almiria crawls off of her bed and into her brother's lap. He holds her close to him as the girl starts to sob. "I dreamt of him last night. He was still alive…"

Julieta leans against the doorway as she watches Almiria sob into Gaelio's chest. "I should hate him, but I can't. I wish I could, Gaelio."

It's a scene Julieta's observed several times over the past three years. The dialogue and location are sometimes different, but it is all the same. Julieta walks over to the pair. She's not the best at being comforting, but she'll try. She kneels next to Gaelio and Almiria. She places one arm around Almiria and the other around Gaelio.

Almiria rests head against Gaelio as she dissolves into a fit of tears. Gaelio had gone through a this cycle of blame. At first it was his parents for arranging Almiria to marry McGillis. Then, it was Gjallarhorn for allowing such a thing to be so socially acceptable. Then, there was McGillis himself. The anger in which Gaelio felt for his former friend was displayed in such an array of emotions.

"Gaelio…?" Almiria murmers.

"Hmm…?"

"Why can't I be strong like Julieta?" she asks.

Julieta drops both of her arms and places her hands on her knees. She looks to Almiria. She's not very good at this, but she's going to try.

"You are strong," Julieta insists.

"Not like you," she says. "I can't fight people…"

"You don't have to be a soldier to be strong," Julieta says. "Everyone is strong in their own way. Being soft hearted is not a weakness, Almiria."

"It makes me feel weak," tears stain Almira's face as she looks to her with reddened eyes. "Teach me to fight like you, Julieta. Maybe then…"

Julieta ruffles her hair. "Maybe...you'll have to ask your brother first."

Gaelio laughs. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

Almiria smiles softly as she looks up to Julieta. It's the first time she's seen her truly smile. Julieta ruffles Almiria's hair. She rises to her feet. She'll give Gaelio a little bit more time to comfort her sister before asking Almiria if she's changed her mind about school. She hopes that today is the first day that Almiria fights. It might not be against McGillis himself. No, her fight is against her own inner demons.

 _Life..._ is a cycle of trials. Julieta has faith in Almiria. If the girl is anything like her brother, she can be just as strong.


End file.
